Closing Arguments Given In Gawlik Murder Trial

NEW BRITAIN — The state and the defense presented their closing arguments in the murder trial of Jan Gawlik Thursday after six days of presenting evidence.

Gawlik, who is accused of striking his mother and murdering his father in the early morning hours of Oct. 14, 2011, is facing charges of murder and assault on an elderly person. According to police, Gawlik was found sitting in his parents' house, covered in blood, within arm's reach of a knife and a crack pipe.

Prosecutor Brian Preleski argued Thursday that the evidence — Jozef Gawlik's body, the murder weapons, the blood and DNA found at the scene — was "sufficient evidence that Jan Gawlik committed the act."

"But that is not the heart of this case," he said.

The heart of the case, Preleski said, is whether Gawlik intended to murder his father. While several witnesses testified that Gawlik was intoxicated that night, and Gawlik, himself, admitted to taking almost $300 worth of cocaine, Preleski argued that "intoxication is not a defense, nor is it an excuse."

"He knew what he was doing was against the law," Preleski said. "He recognized the immorality of his acts."

Preleski also argued that the defense's position that Gawlik was under "extreme emotional distress" at the time of the murder is unreasonable.

"There's no evidence of him being exposed to any unusual stress. There's just none," he said.

The reasonableness of Gawlik's excuse, Preleski said, hinges on the claim that he was possessed by Satan.

"It is inconceivable based on the state of this evidence that you can find a reasonable explanation for what was done to Mr. [Jozef] Gawlik," Preleski said.

Defense attorney Michael Isko argued that the murder was an "extreme reaction to a psychotic disorder."

"He was overwhelmed by it," Isko said.

He argued that Gawlik was obviously exhibiting "extreme" behavior, noting that Gawlik never tried to clean the crime scene or cover up what had happened, and when armed police officers arrived at the scene, Gawlik repeatedly claimed to be Satan. Isko also argued that this was the first time police had been called to the Gawliks' home.

"It was something different and more extreme than anything before," he said.

Isko acknowledged to the jury that the evidence in the case was graphic and that it would be difficult for anyone to set aside those images, but urged them to consider the testimony of Alec Buchanan, the forensic psychiatrist who testified that Gawlik suffered a "psychotic illness" at the time of the murder.

"You've seen incredible evidence, but you've also heard that this man was incredibly disturbed," Isko said.